Numark Mixstream Pro Reviewed
The Numark Mixstream Pro controller was launched on the market at the end of 2021, and since we are big fans of standalone controllers, we've been testing it for some time and had it in our store. So, we'd like to share some thoughts with you about this exciting device.
Numark is part of the parent company InMusic, which includes several other brands such as Akai Professional, Denon DJ, M-Audio, Rane, Stanton, to name just a few.
Of these, Denon DJ and Numark products are primarily aimed at DJs, but they target different market segments. While Denon DJ offers mainly premium products and especially standalone devices, Numark is a more budget-friendly brand, specializing mainly in Serato controllers and some mixers and accessories for beginners.
Don't be misled by the term "budget-friendly," because even though the devices are significantly less expensive than many of their competitors, the quality of most components is very good. The compromise usually lies in the design, with some unusual decisions regarding button labeling and placement. If these things aren't very important to you, Numark is a hidden gem in terms of value-for-money, especially with controllers from the Mixtrack series: The Mixtrack Pro and the Mixtrack Platinum FX.
As the entire InMusic product catalog grows from year to year, it's inevitable that there will be overlaps in market segments, and the Mixstream Pro is the perfect example of that. It's the first standalone controller of the newer generation of Numark controllers. The very first one was the Mixdeck Express, which came out in 2016, but was only sold in the USA. Standalone means it can operate independently of a computer and can load media from a USB stick or an SD card.
InMusic made an interesting but very reasonable decision to use the same software as Denon DJ devices, namely the onboard version of Engine DJ. This explains why "Engine Prime" has become "Engine OS," because from now on it will no longer be exclusively used in Denon DJ Prime devices.
Features Overview
The Mixstream Pro runs on Engine OS 2. Some of the key features include:
- Onboard track analysis
- Dual waveform view
- Integrated Wi-Fi for music streaming via Beatport Link, Beatsource Link, Tidal, or for cloud access to Dropbox
- QWERTZ keyboard for quick search
- Track preview (listening to a track before loading it onto a deck)
- Playlist creation
- Customizable user interface
- Direct recording to USB or SD card
- Practically no need for a computer, as even software updates can be done via Wi-Fi
The Mixstream brings standalone functionality in general at a competitive price, considering that the controller has a large 7-inch multitouch display with almost all functions, just like the Denon DJ Prime 2 or the new SC Live 2, not to mention that the onboard software offers almost the same functions and responds super fast.
Tracks are loaded instantly and can be analyzed directly on the device. So, you just have to copy your media to your USB stick, and Engine OS takes care of the rest. This is one of the biggest time savers ever because constantly updating folders and analyzing every single new track would be a major hassle that no DJ enjoys.
The First Impressions
The build quality is good, as one would expect from Numark. The chassis is made of hard plastic, while the knobs and buttons are made of metal and feel very solid.
The 6-inch (15 cm) Jogwheels work flawlessly and operate smoothly. Considering the device's price, they are even surprisingly large. Sensitivity can be adjusted via the Engine OS, but only in terms of how much the Jogwheel bends the pitch and not the resistance of the Jogwheels.
It's better than having no sensitivity adjustment option, but we always found Pioneer DJ's workflow to be far superior, where you can adjust the physical resistance of the Jogwheels, although this is a feature available only on higher-end controllers and players.
The deck section features 4 performance pads that can be used for the standard functions HOT CUE, SAVED LOOP, AUTO LOOP, and ROLL found on most controllers. The pads are very responsive, and even though there are only 4 pads per deck, they are double-mapped, meaning if you press the MODE button, you can switch to a secondary function for each pad.
The Pitch-Fader is very short and is not proportional to the medium-sized Jogwheels, and considering that the Mixtrack Pro and the Mixtrack Platinum have spoiled us with rather long pitch faders, we didn't quite like the Pitch-Fader of the Mixstream at first.
Thanks to Engine OS, it can be set to a range of +/- 4%, so we were able to create transitions without using SYNC, although it will still be inconvenient when mixing two tracks with very different tempos, where the 4% range is not enough, but in most cases, it will work fine.
In addition to the CUE/PLAY/SYNC buttons, there's also a round SCRATCH button, which can switch from standard scratching to Smart Scratch - a beginner function that continues the track from where it stopped before the start of scratching.
Mixer Section
The large filter knobs are unexpectedly located in the deck section in the upper right corner of Deck 1 and in the upper left corner of Deck 2.
In the mixer section, the equalizer is similarly inconveniently positioned to the left and right of the volume controls, but this is quite acceptable since the large display in the middle occupies a lot of space.
Speaking of faders: the two VU meters next to the faders not only display the levels of the tracks played on the individual decks but can also show the master output level through the settings - a feature typically found only on professional controllers.
The crossfader allows for basic scratch techniques, and its cutoff range can be adjusted in the settings.
There are only 4 effects available: ECHO, FLANGER, DELAY, and PHASER. Each of them can be toggled with separate physical buttons and can be set to ON, OFF, and HOLD with the pedal switch on each channel. This is a clear trade-off compared to Denon DJ controllers, which offer a wider range of effects.
Connections
The connectivity is absolutely fine for a controller of this price. The following connection options are available:
- 2 headphone inputs (3.5mm and 6.3mm jacks)
- 1 MIC input
- 2 USB ports - this allows for smooth Back-2-Back sessions without the need to copy folders of both DJs onto the same USB stick
- 1 USB-B port for connecting to a computer
- 1 SD card slot
- 1 XLR master output - for clear sound quality when connecting to large speakers
- 1 RCA master output - useful when using smaller speakers
Integrated Speakers
The Mixstream also features built-in speakers with 2 drivers on each side. One shouldn't expect these speakers to rock a party as they are quite small.
They can, for example, be used as floor monitors at a small home party. Despite their size, they still deserve recognition as they can get quite loud without distortion.
In fact, they make sense during practice sessions, allowing you to rock out anywhere with headphones as long as power is available.
Our Impression
The Mixstream Pro is, as the name suggests, primarily designed for the new standards in wireless music streaming, with all options available through Beatport Link, Beatsource Link, and Tidal. However, this is not the main reason we would buy it, as we believe that streaming via Wi-Fi at the current time is simply not stable enough to handle large-scale DJ gigs.
On the other hand, the controller features a great multi-touch display, the best of the Engine OS operating system, a nice set of jog wheels, and all the essential DJ functions. It's intended for those who want to spin and practice anywhere, with the convenience of USB sticks without the need to connect a laptop.
You can even practice on the go if you have a sufficiently large power bank to plug in your adapter, as you can listen to your mix through the built-in speakers. When connected to a larger sound system, the sound quality via the symmetrical XLR outputs is top-notch, allowing you to provide your audience with clean sound.
As we've mentioned before, Numark already has the trophy in hand when it comes to value for money, and the Mixstream Pro is a product that secures this trophy until someone comes up with something better, which is currently very unlikely due to component shortages.